Times Free Press Ushers in a New Wave of Paranoia.
In one of the most disjointed and bloviating articles in recent weeks, the editors of the Free Press opinion page pandered to their base by attacking the President with random unproven charges of impropriety, some of them ocurring while his predecessor was in office. In an apparent confirmation of these charges of tyranny, or coverups, or something, a longtime reader responded, "The guvmint better not come onto my prop'ty" before racking his twelve-gague.
Several references to the Founding Fathers helped disguise the lack of content of the article, and helped clothe the writer in an aura of patriotism. The writer summed up the piece by referring to Obama's administration as the definition of the word "tyrrany". Thankfully the author was able to resist beginning the article with the phrase, "According to Webster, the definition of "tyrrany" is. . . " (although I heard on the internet that the first draft of this article did start that way, and that Hillary Clinton made him change it.)
I've never been in the military but I think Rickaroo had a good observation that in the armed forces you are military first and people second. That's the whole point of training and following orders after all - so you can leave moral judgements to your superiors and kill who they tell you to.
Therefore: The morality of the leaders is the morality of the troops.
Most members of the military are young, and therefore their personalities are not fully formed. Also most members of the military serve for only a few years so they don't personally contribute substantially to the character of the organization or personally remember the traditions of the organization.
Therefore: If the leadership wants to change the culture they can, within a few years.
Evidence: The US Military successfully achieved racial integration long before society at large, because those in leadership roles decided it would happen.
Evidence: Other countries have done it.
Evidence: Corporate America has done it. Mostly.
In conclusion: I believe that it is quite possible to change the culture of the military so that women are treated equally and are not subject to sexual predation. All it takes is leadership and the will to do so.
I may not have been in combat, but I watch movies. And everyone knows you have to be able to hold your shield to protect your left side, and the right side of the man to your right. From the knee to the neck. It doesn't matter how well you thrust your spear if you can't hold your shield high enough.
jtwhatever, that was a very heartfelt apology. I can really tell you meant it sincerely without any sort of sarcasm. I forgive you. Go forth and paste out of context no more, my son. [crossing jtwhatever]
Here's my take on the TEA party. I'm sure it's not 100% accurate, but this is what I think, in case anyone cares. I know most of you don't so you don't need to bother to tell me so.
I know a lot of young men and women who consider themselves part of the TEA party. It's obviously not just old white guys. Even the traditional Republican "old guard" is not exclusively old white guys.
Although the TEA party started as astroturf with a big money and media injection by the Kochs and a few other elites, it has since morphed into a real movement. Originally it focused mostly on lowering taxes and labor costs for the fabulously wealthy, like our friend Maximu$$$$, but a lot of people jumped on the bandwagon and it became a big umbrella. You have the libertarians (Original TEAs "OT"), the second amenment people, the pro-life folks, very conservative Christians, and the - for whatever reason - rabid Obama haters. Maybe a couple of others.
The thing that unites them all (except for the OTs), in my opinion, is a sense of disenfranchisement. Most of them fear that their lifestyle or traditions or favored status are slipping away. That's why the TEA party in Washington mostly just blocks everything. They don't want change of any sort. Plus sometimes they nod to the OTs and pay lip service to the notion of limited government.
I don't think the TEA party is going away. I think those people have always been here, now they are just more organized and labeled. It will be tough for them to continue to be a political force though, if they don't learn to play nice with their more centrist cousins. You can win a couple of terms by claiming to be outsider rogues, but after a while you have to actually do your job or the constituency starts to notice.
Military Justice
Maximus said... Dude the truth is the truth.
Since when did you become a fan of the truth, Maxi?
Military Justice
Some people take these comments too personally. And by some people, I mean you. Idiot.
;>
Military Justice
Snarkolepsy. Like.
Obama ushers in new wave of tyranny
Times Free Press Ushers in a New Wave of Paranoia.
In one of the most disjointed and bloviating articles in recent weeks, the editors of the Free Press opinion page pandered to their base by attacking the President with random unproven charges of impropriety, some of them ocurring while his predecessor was in office. In an apparent confirmation of these charges of tyranny, or coverups, or something, a longtime reader responded, "The guvmint better not come onto my prop'ty" before racking his twelve-gague.
Several references to the Founding Fathers helped disguise the lack of content of the article, and helped clothe the writer in an aura of patriotism. The writer summed up the piece by referring to Obama's administration as the definition of the word "tyrrany". Thankfully the author was able to resist beginning the article with the phrase, "According to Webster, the definition of "tyrrany" is. . . " (although I heard on the internet that the first draft of this article did start that way, and that Hillary Clinton made him change it.)
Military Justice
I've never been in the military but I think Rickaroo had a good observation that in the armed forces you are military first and people second. That's the whole point of training and following orders after all - so you can leave moral judgements to your superiors and kill who they tell you to.
Therefore: The morality of the leaders is the morality of the troops.
Most members of the military are young, and therefore their personalities are not fully formed. Also most members of the military serve for only a few years so they don't personally contribute substantially to the character of the organization or personally remember the traditions of the organization.
Therefore: If the leadership wants to change the culture they can, within a few years.
Evidence: The US Military successfully achieved racial integration long before society at large, because those in leadership roles decided it would happen.
Evidence: Other countries have done it.
Evidence: Corporate America has done it. Mostly.
In conclusion: I believe that it is quite possible to change the culture of the military so that women are treated equally and are not subject to sexual predation. All it takes is leadership and the will to do so.
Smith: Is lying a substitute for leadership?
Well, I don't know anything about Robin Smith personally, but I do know that the columns she writes are never very substantial.
Military Justice
I may not have been in combat, but I watch movies. And everyone knows you have to be able to hold your shield to protect your left side, and the right side of the man to your right. From the knee to the neck. It doesn't matter how well you thrust your spear if you can't hold your shield high enough.
The Cover-Up
OH GOOD. CHET IS HERE. LET ME JUST TURN DOWN THE VOLUME ON MY SCREEN. Ah, that's better.
The Cover-Up
jtwhatever, that was a very heartfelt apology. I can really tell you meant it sincerely without any sort of sarcasm. I forgive you. Go forth and paste out of context no more, my son. [crossing jtwhatever]
The Cover-Up
Here's my take on the TEA party. I'm sure it's not 100% accurate, but this is what I think, in case anyone cares. I know most of you don't so you don't need to bother to tell me so.
I know a lot of young men and women who consider themselves part of the TEA party. It's obviously not just old white guys. Even the traditional Republican "old guard" is not exclusively old white guys.
Although the TEA party started as astroturf with a big money and media injection by the Kochs and a few other elites, it has since morphed into a real movement. Originally it focused mostly on lowering taxes and labor costs for the fabulously wealthy, like our friend Maximu$$$$, but a lot of people jumped on the bandwagon and it became a big umbrella. You have the libertarians (Original TEAs "OT"), the second amenment people, the pro-life folks, very conservative Christians, and the - for whatever reason - rabid Obama haters. Maybe a couple of others.
The thing that unites them all (except for the OTs), in my opinion, is a sense of disenfranchisement. Most of them fear that their lifestyle or traditions or favored status are slipping away. That's why the TEA party in Washington mostly just blocks everything. They don't want change of any sort. Plus sometimes they nod to the OTs and pay lip service to the notion of limited government.
I don't think the TEA party is going away. I think those people have always been here, now they are just more organized and labeled. It will be tough for them to continue to be a political force though, if they don't learn to play nice with their more centrist cousins. You can win a couple of terms by claiming to be outsider rogues, but after a while you have to actually do your job or the constituency starts to notice.